Wimbledon 2010: Federer Falls to Tomas Berdych in Four

It had to happen eventually. What goes up must come down and that time has finally come for Roger Federer.

Federer climbed his way to the top of the professional tennis ladder, remaining there for years. He made a significant leap down today, losing in the quarterfinals to Tomas Berdych. This marks the first time in eight years that Federer won’t be appearing in the Wimbledon finals.

Berdych, the 12th seed, upset Federer 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 for by far the biggest win in his career. The Czech utilized his forehand and huge serve to propel him to the semifinals and is the first Czech to reach the semis since 1990.

Federer has appeared in the Wimbledon finals seven consecutive times, winning six of those titles. He lost in the first round eight years ago and has since become known as the greatest player of all-time, winning 16 Grand Slam titles.

Whether he’s seriously injured or just down on his luck, Federer is quick to let the excuses spill out. He complained of pain in his back and right leg, leaving him unable to play his best. Not having previously mentioned any problems, he now states they’ve been bothering him since the tournament in Halle, the week before Wimbledon.

The injury won’t explain his loss to Robin Soderling at the French Open earlier this month, ending his streak of quarterfinal wins at 23. Not to mention, Federer has lost two of the past six grass-court matches, with a previous record of winning 76 out of 77 matches coming into June.

It’d be nice if Federer would give those who defeated him some credit. Sometimes on some days the other guy is just better. He plays better. He doesn’t make excuses. He’s just better.

On the Brightside, Berdych is finally living up to expectations. He played great offensively against Federer, making the most on the break points and frustrating Federer. The 6-foot-5 player served 12 aces to defeat the greatest player of all-time.

In the semifinals, Berdych will take on Novak Djokovic, who easily defeated Lu Yen-Hsun in straight sets in the quarters.